[mmarseglia]

Hello Mini Drivers,

I have read all the posts related to Full Maintenance and feel quite discouraged. My experience with New Country MINI in Hartford, CT has not been the most pleasant since picking up a Cooper S in June 2004.

At what mileages is the Full Maintenance done for free according to the MINI Full Maintenance warranty.

I thought the first maintenance was at 10,000 miles and New Country MINI said "No" until I insisted upon bringing in the car at 15,600 miles for its first service.

Now at 27,700 miles I am wondering will Full Maintenance according to the MINI Full Maintenance warranty be honored by New Country MINI? The service indicator on the dash board says I do not have to bring it in for another 7,000 miles and there is no way I am waiting any longer.

Since the MINI Full Maintenance warranty states 3/years 36,000 miles then my next service is going to come really too soon after this.

How come there isn't jack posted on neither the internet nor the owner's manual about when to schedule your MINI for service according to MINI Full Maintenance warranty?

I have never gone this far between services of any car I have own nor have I ever relied on a computer dash board this long either. I'm sick of guessing.

Would someone clear this up?

Thanks,
Matt

[Root Ginger]

You just have to trust the computer. It will tell you when the maintenance is due. It depends on how you drive the car. Lots of short journeys the service will come round quicker, lots of long motorway journeys the service will take longer. It makes perfect sense. In most regular cars they say the service is due at x miles. This takes no account of how a car is driven and someone who does short journeys and thrashes the car could be doing the car serious damage by leaving the car until the service mileage is up. That's why the BMW system is far safer.

In the UK at least they wont accept your car for the servicing package (called TLC) unless it is +/- 1000 miles on the service indicator.

If you do a search there's a lot of info already posted on this.

[mmarseglia]

Thanks Root

I guess what I am looking for is an estimate on mileage and months to keep it within the free service (as you said TLC) MINI Warranty service agreement. Something like 10,000 or 1st year, 25,000 or 2nd year, 36,000 or 3rd year.

I just spoke with Corey the SM at New Country MINI and I am bringing in my car for its
2nd Scheduled Maintenance on next Tuesday April 4. I am an easy driver on my Cooper so that could be the reason the on board computer still says I should wait 7,000.

I was thinking I would extend the MINI Full Maintenance warranty to 4 years / 50,000 miles (for $399) do you think this would be a good idea?

Thanks,
Matt

[Root Ginger]

It's normally a good idea yes. Ask the dealer what the service will cost without the maintenance warranty and make a decision based on that. I know that I will be extending mine as the cost is the same as the first service alone. I also get another service and a brake fluid change for my money. The fourth service (Inspection II) is the most expensive as well.

[bronwen]

mmarseglia: I'm curious to hear what about your experiences at New Country. My experience there has been pretty bad.